Container for perishable products



SR FWOWCF bearch mom minim r. I

XR 2.385.866 l a: Z A f 1945. e. P. KUEHNER 2,385,866 3 j, CONTAINER FORPERISHABLE PRODUCTS Filed July 19, 1944 8 d INVENTOR; GEORGE E KUEHNER#3 16 4- a? 2 ATTORNEY E l 0 y I Q a Patented Oct. 2, 1945 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE CONTAINER FOR PERISHABLE PRODUCTS George'P. Kuehner, St.Louis, Mo. Application July 19, 1944, Serial No. 545,675

12 Claims.

This invention relates to-improvements in containers for perishableproducts, and more particularly to returnable shipping containers forrefrigerated perishables, the present disclosure being. directedprimarils. to a container adapted ior repeated shipments of, cut flowersor like commodities, iced during transit.-,

The shipment of packaged cut flowers has heretofore presented a numberof diflioulties, due to the requirement of refrigeration in transit,even during the cooler seasons. Usually ice is em played in anexpendable one-time container, such as a pasteboard box of conventionalform, in which cross cleats of wood'are secured by nail ing, to serve ashold-down members for thefiowers. Ice is supplied in incompletelyconfined manner in the container, and due to relatively early meltingof-the ice, the container and con tents become so gy, and the containersometimes rendered useless, or at least in poor condition upon arrivalat destination. Due to this destruction of strawboard or pasteboardmntainers'by ice water, their use for any more than a. single shipmentis impossible.- Current critical shortages of paper products rendersadvisable the use of a refrigerated container of more durable form, andwhich may be used for an indefinite number of shipments with return toplace of origin. It is accordingly 1;. maior obiectiv'e of the presentimprovements toprovide-a container for the general purpose noted, atleast the 'maior elements of which may be repeatedly utilized fortransit purposes; a container for such purpose which is durable, ruggedand non-mating, and one which will not be damaged in any wayby moisturesuch as ice water:

A. further ano'important object of the invention is attained; in acmnbinatibn c! a substantially permanent, box for the shipmerit ofperishahles' and an" outer insulating enclosure, which may if desired,be of low costmaand may be of expendable nature although desirablyadapted tor areasonable number of shipments.

Anadditional objective of t? 2 present improvements is realized in animproved adjustable in net ice container for a shipping package oi thetype noted, and which serves the purpose of a hold-downstrue'ture forthe out flowers or simila-r elongate perishable commodities inthe'container, the hold-down structure being of such nature thatit'isreadily adaptable for its purpose, to difierent quantitiesor depths ofthe shipmeat in the container, and my be applied without the use oftools, and without extraneous fiastenings such as nails or the like.

Yet another important-object oi the invention is realized in an improvedprovision for confinement of ice. or other cooling medium, so as toprovide a. definite coolair circulation within a shipping container ofthe general type noted, together with an improved proportion of thedifferent chambers or compartments within the container, whereby betterto adapt it for a specific purpose, in. the example of the disclosurebeing. the shipment of. cut flowers.

Still. an additional objective of the invention is attained intheprovision. oi a slurpin cootainer such. that highly perishablecommodities such as cut flowers may beshipped over greater distancesthan. is nowpossible. inasmuch as the integrity of. the container andits structural strength are unaffected by ice water or moisture from anyother cause.

The foregoing. and. still further chiecm will more clearly appear. fromthe following detailed description of a florists shipping containerembodying the present improvements, particularly when the description isconsidered inconnection with the drawing in which;

Fig. 1 is a top view ot a refrigerated container, specifically the metalelements of the assembly. showing an'arrangement of contents, and withcover removed;

Fig 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the structure. of Fig. l,as same would appear when viewed along line 22 thereof;

Fig. 3 is a. transverse section, partly in elevation, of the containerassembly as viewed along line, 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view, showing certainstructural detail of an arrangement for adjustably' positioning a.holddown agency and ice compartment within the larger container,

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing, the permanentor semi-permanent box forming the immediate container for the perishablecommodities,v is indicated generally at B, and includes side walls 10and H,.end walls l2 and IS, a bottom 14 and a removable telescopingcover preferably of the same material at the box B, and generallyindicated at C, provided with a perimetral, normally downturned flangeI5. The relation between thecover C and Box B is such that when thecover is applied to the box, it will be frictionally retained in placethereon, by reason of the engagement of the flange portions I! with theupper perimknown that sheet aluminum,

eter of the box walls, in which termare collectively comprised thesides, ends, and bottom of the container.

Although any one of many impervious metallic or so-called plasticmaterials may be employed in the box construction, it is preferred toutilize as a material in the formation of the box B, sheet aluminum of asuitable gauge which may be welded, riveted or otherwise fabricated,preferably in the rectangular shaping shown. The cover C may besimilarly formed, and preferably but not necessarily, is of the samematerial.

The box B with cover C is obviously serviceable as such for thetransportation of many commodities, but its usefulness as an iced orotherwise internally cooled shipping container is greatly enhanced bythe use of an external thermalinsulating enclosure. This is shown asbeing of semi-expendable nature, but without limitation to materials ofthis order. It has been found that if a strawboard container forexample, is protected from the water resulting from melting ice, it willusually withstand say from five to ten shipments of moderate mileage,and it is so employed in the present combination. The strawboardutilized in fabrication of the outer container, generally indicated atD, consists of a bottom l6, side walls l1 and I8, end walls l9 and 20,together with a telescoping cover 25 provided with a downtumed,frictional retaining flange 26. The inside dimensions and proportionsthroughout the outer insulating ,container D, closely approximate thecorresponding external dimensions of the box B with cover C thereon, sothat the outer container closely envelops the impervious box sometimesherein referred to as the metallic container. It is well while highly Tresistant to any corrosive effects of relatively pure water and for thisreason is desirable as the principal container, nevertheless has ashort-coming for present purpose, of a relatively high thermalconductivity. In practice, with the combination disclosed, it has beenfound that even under conditions of high ambient temperature theprotective outer box D will serve effectively to heat-insulate themetallic box, so that it remains iced satisfactorily for its intendedpurpose throughout long shipments. Although the material of container Dis of itself well known, it; may be noted that the specific type ofstrawboard now used for this purpose consists of an outer. sheet layer21, an inner corresponding or similar layer'2&..\aIJl Onfi.QLar@:ralityofcorrugatedlayersiltherebetween. The corrugations of theintermediate layer 29 result in a distinctly air-cellular constructionwith excellent insulating properties.

There is of course desirably provided a container for isolating the iceor other cooling medium to prevent its physical impact with the head orbloom portions of the flowers; there is also most desirably provided acommodity holddown agency to prevent shifting of the perishables withinthe container therefor. Both of these requirements are met in thecurrently improved container by an inner casing or box structure, theessential elements of which area pair of combined cross-partitions orhold-down members exemplified by the vertical walls 35 and 36. These arein effect intermediate partitions transversely of the rectangular box B.They are positionable by means later described, at selecte verticalheights, to provide for adjustment thereof according to varying depthsof the perishable commodities therebeneath.

In the preferred example of current disclosure, the partition elements35 and 36 are supplemented by end elements 31, and a bottom 38, togetherwith a cover 39, hereinafter described. It will be understood, however,that according to preference of the user, the bottom of the innermostbox or ice container may be omitted. The advantage of a completeenclosure for the ice, lies in the fact that water from melting thereofin transit is thus usually retained in the ice compartment; on the otherhand, omission of the bottom 38 permits a somewhat more direct heatexchange relation between the ice and the commodity.

Proceeding now to describe the provision for the vertical adjustment ofthe holddown structure and ice container, there are providedintermediate each side wall, such as H of the box B, a pair of verticalflanges 45, preferably a total of four of these being employed as shown.Each of these flanges includes, besides the base portion thereof securedto the adJacent box wall, an inwardly turned portion 48 connecting thebase to the active or clamped portion 41, which by virtue of the shapingof part 46 is spaced slightly inwardly of the adjacent box wall. It willhave been observed that the end walls 31 of the inner box-project,laterally of the inner box, but endwise of box B, so as guidedly to beretained between the portions and the adjacent wall, these projectingportions being indicated at 48.

The mechanism by which the holddown structure and ice container isreadily adjusted to, thence retained in the desired position depthwiseof the box B, is seen to include four clamping elements 49 of cam type,arranged in pair, such that those of each pair are carried by andsecured to a rock shaft 50, journalled in suitable flange bushings 5|carried by the side walls 35 and 36 of the ice box structure. Each ofthe earns 49 is provided with a handle or actuating portion 52 formingan extension of the cam proper with which it is associated. It will benoted as an advantage that the handle 52 on each cam may be thrown sothat the cam clamping assembly will be self-retaining in releasedposition in one limit of motion of the rock shaft 50, and similarly suchthat the several handles 52 tend because of the handle weight, to retainthe cams 49 in clamping or locking position once the ice container andholddown elements are fixed at desired depth.

It will be noted as further advantageous in that, through theinterconnection of the paired cams at each end of the ice container,both cams of the pair may be similarly manipulated, either to clampingor releasing position, through actuation of either.

The clamping function of the adjustment means will have been apparentfrom the foregoing description of parts, but it may be noted as merelynecessary, when it is desired to adjust the height or depth of the icecontainer, to throw the cam assemblies at the opposite ends of thecontainer to their clotted positions, under which condition the icecontainer may be moved upwardly or downwardly as desired, in accordancewith the depth of commodity therebelow in the box B. Having attained theoptimum position for holddown purposes, such as to cause the icecontainer to bear firmly yet without any crushing 220. METALLICRECEWACLES,

ring-m hrrr r'z zvllbud hal Cllihull 6 amass Search Room tendency on.the materials thereben'cath, the cam assemblies are actuated to the fullline. positions shownby the drawing When thus brought in.- to positionit will be noted that the cams (a coast with the projections in in amanner firmly to clamp between these. parts at each side of each ice boxend, the portion 41 of the adjacent guide and adiustment flange.

The hold-down and ice box structure. may be formed of any suitablematerial, but it is a preference because of the-non-rustingcharacteristics of. aluminum, and in this case because of its highthermal conductivity, to form this innermost container of aluminum plateof suitable gauge. The elements identified with the adjustment andclamping mechanism may be of steel, preferably galvanized, sherardizedor otherwise surface treated toresist rusting.

Although the partition elements and 36 may be usefully employed apartfrom any further ice container structure it is a preference, as makingfor better confinement of the cooling medium such as ice, indicated atI, to provide for the ice compartment, a cover consisting of thebridging member 33, hereinbefore referred to. The element 3.! may beformed of plate aluminum similar to elements 35 and 38 and other boxparts, andiishinged to one-oi the box walls as by hinges 5A, The coveris conveniently provided alsowith suitable fastening elements,exemplified by the 1 interfltting parts 55 and 56, to retain the coverin place during shipment.

It has been found. greatly toinsure andto enhence the condition of cutflowers or the like during. shipment, particularly where iced, toprovide a substantial layer of compressible absorbent material, such asa moss, waste fiber or various kinds of other highly moisture-absorbentmaterials. One such layer desirably extends the full inside length ofthe box B, and is indicated at 61L Also, by preference, there isprovided a similar layer of absorbent material 61 immediately beneaththe ice container and overlying the perishable commodities in shipment.This layer, by preference, does not extend over a much greater portionof the length of the box than that occupied by the ice compartment,

The compartmentization of the container is thought to have been fullyapparent from the foregoing description, but when used for floralshipments it is a preference to form the ice compartment,v particularlypartitions 35 and 36, of considerabLv less. height than the inside depthof the box B. and by further preference so that, with a normal loadingof the perishables, as will later be referred to, there exists at leasta moderate air circulation space throughout the length of the containerand above the ice compartment. Such upper full length space orcompartment is indicated at 61, and air is permitted freely to circulatethe full length of the container to and from the ice compartment byreason of the provision of openings provided in substantial number inthe ice compartment cover, the openings being indicated at 63.

It will readily appear that the vertical incompleteness orforeshortening of partitions 35 and 38, results in a full length bottomcompartment in box B, occupied in substantial part by the compressibleabsorbent 50; immediately thereabove and at an intermediate height inthe box there are aligned compartments, one at each end of the box B andthe third being the ice compartment earlier noted:

It is a distinct preference to locate the ice compartment so that itserves to divide.- and proportion the length of the box between thethree intermediate compartments. in the general way illustrated. Presentfloral shipping containers. of paper construction are more prevalentlyof, substantially in length, and it is. distinctly preferred toproportion this length, for example, to constitute an. end compartmentat each end, say of 20 length, and an intermediate or ice compartmentwhich may be of the order 01' 10." iongitudinally of the box. Roughly,the most desirable arrangement has been found in so arranging thepartitions that the box is endwise divided into the three compartmentsof which the end compartments are each of the order of twice the lengthof the ice container.

For convenience and brevity of description the cooling medium has beenreferred to as ice, but it will be understood that any other coolingmedium which is economically possible of use, may likewise be employed.For example, dry ice if properly shielded from the flowers or otherperishables so as to obviate any destructive effects or excessive localtemperatures, may also be emplayed,v and is intended to be includedwithin the term ice," utilized in an exemplary sense.

It is a, preferred practice in usage of the container to dividetheshipment say of flowers, into substantially equal parts, then toreverse them in what may be termedan end-for-end arrangement as shown byFig 2, wherein the head portions of the flowers, which may be suitablywrapped as shown, areindicatedat E, and the stem. portions oppositelypresented, also wrapped if desired as shown, and indicated by theportion F, the cut flowers being thus arranged after initially supplyingor replacing. it necessary, the absorbent layer ill. The secondabsorbent layer 61 is then placed over the stem portions F, and theholddown structure inserted and adjusted to correct depth. The cooling.medium. such as ice I, is now disposed in the ice receptacle and the lidor cover 39. closed and secured as shown. Cover 0 is then amxed. to boxB and this structure inserted in the insulating box D, the. coverthereof aflixed, tied on if desired, and properly labeled, followingwhich the assembly is ready for shipment.

Although the assembly has been described by making detailed reference toa single preferred embodiment, the detailof description is intended asillustrative and not as limiting, since numerous variants may be. madein structure and arrangement of parts as well as in purpose or usage ofthe assembly, within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

I. A florists shipp n container consistingof a rectangulanopen-topmetallic box, provided with a remoya ble covr, and adapted for repeatusage in transit, the bottom. and sides of the box being ofsubstantially watertight construgtjpman outer insulatin box, ofexpendfiblcil h iu re, adapted snuglyto'receivdth metallic box, a coverfor the insulating box, a holdflomstmcture including incgmpleteverticalbox partitions in an intermediate zone of the metallic box, and spacedabove the bottom of. the metallic box to provide an ige containertherein, and means within themetallic box forflfimablyiustemngathehold-down strucggre atdiflerent adjusted vertical distances from thebottom of the box.

2. The combination and arrangement of elements substantially as recitedby claim 1, but further characterized in that the provision forretention of the hold down structure in different vertical positions, iscomprised of"vertica1 supporting and guiding elements on each box sidewall, and a clamp at each end of the hold down structure, releasablyengaging the supporting and guiding elements.

3. An enclosure for shipping iced perishables, including an impervioussemi-permanent metal container for the perishables, an expendibleinsulated enclosure for the container consisting of a box of cellularfibrous construction, closely n c n e ggntainfifl ice container located.in substantially an intermediateibne of the impervious container, and alayer of cushioning material on the bottom of the metallic container andbelow the ice container.

4.The combination and arrangement of elements substantially as recitedby claim 3 but further characterized in that the container includes asecond layer of cushioning material, normally spaced above theperishables and the first said absorbent layer, and immediately beneaththe ice container.

5. In a shipping container for out flowers or similar iced perishables,a metal box of non-rusting characteristics, a vertically adjustableholddown structure in the metal box, forming an ice compartment, and anouter box of flbrous heatinsulating material conforming generally inshape and dimensions to the walls of the metal box, a removable coverfor the metal box, and a removable cover for the outer box.

6. The combination and arrangement of parts recited by claim 5, butfurther particularized in that the inner box and cover are formed ofsheet aluminum, and the outer box is formed of strawboard, the insidedimensions of the outer box closely conforming to the exteriordimensions of the inner box and cover therefor.

'7. In a. fiorists shipping container, a permanent, returnable, metallicrefrigerating box, an insulating enclosure therefor, slip-fitted overthe box, and constituting an expendible envelope thereabout, a pair oftransverse partitions in the metal box, spaced from each other endwisebut inwardly of the ends of the box, to constitute an ice receptacletherebetween, an inner cover bridging the partitions and overlying thespace therebetween, means enabling a manual adjustment of the partitionsto any height or depth, for purposes of holding down a loadtherebeneath, the said inner cover being provided with a plurality ofopenings for circulation of air in the space between the transversepartitions and the compartments in the end zones of the metallic box.

8. A shipping container for perishables such as cut flowers or the like,consisting of three containers: an outer insulating container, an intermediate container of a material impervious to moisture, and an innercontainer constituting a combined ice-receiving compartment and holddownstructure for the perishable commodities therebeneath,, and means fordetachably securing the inner container in various iertically ad justedpositions above the bottom of the intermediate container.

9. In a shipping container for perishable products of elongate form suchas cut flowers, a rectangular insulated metallic box, a partition andhold-down structure substantially bridging opposite side walls of thebox, means for detachably fastening the said structure at difierentdepths within the box, said structure including wall elements spacedapart to form an ice compartment in a zone intermediate the length ofthe metallic box, and serving to partition the metallic box into threecompartments, of which the end compartments are each of the order oftwice the length of the intermediate or ice-containing compartment.

10. In a metallic ice box for the shipment of elongate perishableproducts such as cut flowers or the like, an internal casing including apair of combined wall and hold-down elements, each arranged transverselyof the interior of the box and each being of substantially less heightthan the depth of the box, means associated with said casing and theside walls of the box to enable detachable securement of the casing tothe side walls in adjusted positions such that the casing normally liesin an intermediate zone lengthwise of the box, and in an intermediatezone depthwise of the box, whereby to divide the box into lowermost anduppermost compartments each substantially the full inside length of thebox, and to provide therebetween, three compartments at an intermediatedepth in the box, the space enclosed by the casing serving as an icechamber.

11. In an iced shipping container for perishable commodities, a metalbox, a combined ice container and hold-down member, of substantiallylesser dimensions than, and arranged intermediately within the box, andmeans for adjusting and releasably maintaining the. ice container at adesired depth in the box, said means including a vertical flange carriedby and internally of each side wall of the box, and a cam-type clampcarried by each end of the ice container,

- the clamp including a cam arranged to beat against one side of theadjacent vertical flange, and a coacting gripping member adapted to en'-gage the opposite sideof the flange, and a lever arranged, uponactuation, to rock the cam between clamping and releasing positions.

12. In a metallic ice box for the shipment of elongate perishableproducts such as cut flowers or the like, a combined ice casing andhold-down structure arranged transversely of the interior of the box,and being of substantially less height than the depth of the box, meansassociated with the casing and the side walls of the box, to enabledetachable securement of the casing to the side walls in adjustedpositions such that the casing normally lies in an intermediate zonelengthwise or the box and in an intermediate zone depthwise of the boxand serves to divide the box into lowermost and uppermost compartmentseach substantially the full inside length of the box, and to providetherebetween, three compartments at an intermediate depth in the box,the spaces within and near the ends of the box arranged to be occupiedby the blooms or head portions of cut flowers, with the intermediatestem portions of the flowers below the ice casing, and arranged so thatthe ice casing is adapted to bear against and serves to confine thestemportions of the flowers to position them during shipment, a layer ofwater-absorbent and cushioning material substantially coextensive withthe bottom of the box for disposition below the stems and heads of theflowers and a second layer of absorbent material intervening the stemportions of the flowers and the ice casing.

GEORGE P. KU'EmIER.

